Adult Maltreatment and Neglect Problems
DSM-5 Spouse or Partner Violence, Physical This category should be used when nonaccidental acts of physical force that result, or have reasonable potential to result, in physical harm to an intimate partner or that evoke significant fear in the partner have occurred during the past year. Nonaccidental acts of physical force include shoving, slapping, hair pulling, pinching, restraining, shaking, throwing, biting, kicking, hitting with the fist or an object, burning, poisoning, applying force to the throat, cutting off the air supply, holding the head under water, and using a weapon. Acts for the purpose of physically protecting oneself or one's partner are excluded. Spouse or Partner Violence, Sexual This category should be used when forced or coerced sexual acts with an intimate partner have occurred during the past year. Sexual violence may involve the use of physical force or psychological coercion to compel the partner to engage in a sexual act against his or her will, whether or not the act is completed. Also included in this category are sexual acts with an intimate partner who is unable to consent. Spouse or Partner Neglect Partner neglect is any egregious act or omission in the past year by one partner that deprives a dependent partner of basic needs and thereby results, or has reasonable potential to result, in physical or psychological harm to the dependent partner. This category is used in the context of relationships in which one partner is extremely dependent on the other partner for care or for assistance in navigating ordinary daily activities - for example, a partner who is incapable of self-care owing to substantial physical, psychological/intellectual, or cultural limitations (e.g., inability to communicate with others and manage everyday activities due to living in a foreign culture). Spouse or Partner Abuse, Psychological Partner psychological abuse encompasses nonaccidental verbal or symbolic acts by one partner that result, or have reasonable potential to result, in significant harm to the other partner. This category should be used when such psychological abuse has occurred during the past year. Acts of psychological abuse include berating or humiliating the victim; interrogating the victim; restricting the victim's ability to come and go freely; obstructing the victim's access to assistance (e.g., law enforcement; legal, protective, or medical resources); threatening the victim with physical harm or sexual assault; harming, or threatening to harm, people or things that the victim cares about; unwarranted restriction of the victim's access to or use of economic resources; isolating the victim from family, friends, or social support resources; stalking the victim; and trying to make the victim think that he or she is crazy. Adult Abuse by Nonspouse or Nonpartner These categories should be used when an adult has been abused by another adult who is not an intimate partner. Such maltreatment may involve acts of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Examples of adult abuse include nonaccidental acts of physical force (e.g., pushing/shoving, scratching, slapping, throwing something that could hurt, punching, biting) that have resulted - or have reasonable potential to result - in physical harm or have caused significant fear; forced or coerced sexual acts; and verbal or symbolic acts with the potential to cause psychological harm (e.g., berating or humiliating the person; interrogating the person; restricting the person's ability to come and go freely; obstructing the person's access to assistance; threatening the person; harming or threatening to harm people or things that the person cares about; restricting the person's access to or use of economic resources; isolating the person from family, friends, or social support resources; stalking the person; trying to make the person think that he or she is crazy). Acts for the purpose of physically protecting oneself or the other person are excluded.